The mission of First Step House is to help people build lives of meaning, purpose and recovery. And it recently took a new step in that mission, working in partnership with Salt Lake County to update the Stratford Apartments in the heart of downtown into permanent supportive housing for individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders.
The project adds to the facelift at 200 East and 200 South, located above businesses like The People’s Coffee and Mercy Tattoo in a historic building that once operated as a Studebaker Garage. First Step housing is targeted at very low-income individuals who meet disability and income criteria, with rents based on 30% of their monthly income.
Resident referrals come from a variety of sources, including hospitals, insurance providers, mental health courts and other community organizations serving this population, such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams. On-site case management services are provided to help residents maintain stability, access treatment and avoid losing their housing…